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AISSR Lecture series: fundamental questions for the social sciences. Organized by the Amsterdam Institute for Social Science Research (AISSR).

Upcoming lectures 2024-2025

Agneta Fischer & Jan Willem Duyvendak

12 September | 14:00 - 15:30 | De Brug

Emotions & Politics: Democratization or Democratic Risk?

On 12 September, the AISSR will kick off with a new season of AISSR Lectures, after looking back on a successful 2023-2024 series. In a double lecture, Agneta Fischer & Jan Willem Duyvendak will talk from a psychological and sociological perspective about Emotions & Politics: Democratization or a Democratic Risk?

Ayona Datta

23 / 30 January 2025 | 15:30 - 17:00

Ayona Datta is Professor of Human Geography at the University College London.

More information and registration tba.

Roanne van Voorst & Daniel Mügge

20 February 2025 | 15.30 - 17:00 | CREA Theatre Hall

Societal Dynamics of Artificial Intelligence

How does AI regulate humans, and how do humans (in turn) regulate AI?

Roanne van Voorst (AISSR Futures-Anthropologist) and Daniel Mügge (AISSR Political Scientist) highlight the essential contribution the social sciences have to make to our understanding of real-world AI: they chart how AI regulates humans, and how humans, in turn, can and do regulate AI.

More information and registration tba.

Ruha Benjamin

21 March 2025| 15.30 - 17:00 

Ruha Benjamin is Professor of African American studies at Princeton University. 

More information and registration tba.

Matthew Desmond

15 May 2025 | 15:30 - 17:00

Poverty, by America. 

Matthew Desmond is the Maurice P. During Professor of Sociology at Princeton University.

More information and registration tba.

Previous AISSR Lectures

Mario Luis Small

The Data Revolution and the Study of Social Inequality: Promise and Perils

20 June 2024

The social sciences are experiencing a data revolution, with unprecedented access to vast digital records from governments and private companies. How will this data revolution impact the study of social inequality?

Annemarie Mol & Maria Kaika

Materialities in social science research: two lectures, one conversation 

21 March 2024

Since they arose, social sciences liberated themselves from natural sciences, allowing for unique research. However, this focus has hindered understanding of the material aspects of social life.

Professors Maria Kaika and Annemarie Mol discussed their solutions in this double lecture and aftertalk.

Karen van Oudenhoven

Low Confidence in a High Trust Society | The Role of Inequality and Polarization

15 February 2024

Karen van Oudenhoven is the director of the Netherlands Institute for Social Research (SCP).

In her lecture she focused on how heightened structural inequality is creating divisions in society. Leading to affective polarization that could jeopardize the status of Dutch society as a high trust community.

Zeynep Tüfekçi

Artificial Intelligence. New frontiers, Old Problems

12 January 2024 

In this AISSR Lecture, 'sociologist of technology' and UvA honorary doctorate Zeynep Tufekci reflected on 'Artificial Intelligence. New frontiers, Old Problems' with lessons from the internet, digital technology & mobile revolution. 

Farid Boussaid & Erella Grassiani

The War in Gaza: History, Context, Dynamics

14 December 2023

During this AISSR Lecture, Farid Boussaid and Erella Grassiani each examined the history, context, and dynamics of the war in Gaza by drawing upon their expertise and research.

The full video of  this AISSR Lecture is now online.

AISSR Harvest Day 2023

Looking back. Looking forward

16 November 2023 

This year was our 10th AISSR Harvest Day. A special milestone in which we looked back and forward to the social sciences and the role of our Amsterdam Institute for Social Science Research.

We started this special day with three special AISSR lectures: 

  1. Philomena Essed | From Everyday Racism to Responsible Risk Taking in Higher Education. 
  2. Eelke Heemskerk | The Future of Social Science. Navigating the Digital Age's Transformative Potential. 
  3. Maarten Hajer | Utopianism and the Drama of Environmental Politics. 
Diane E. Davis

Sovereignty in the Anthropocene

19 October 2023 

The second AISSR Lecture was given by Harvard Professor Diane E. Davis: Sovereignty in the Anthropocene.

Davis delved into the intersections of urban sovereignty, ecological challenges, and the evolving needs of the 21st century.

The full video of  this AISSR Lecture is now online.

Chris Bail

The past, present and future of computational social science

21 September 2023 

The first AISSR Lecture was given by Chris Bail, one of the foremost computational social scientists . Bail traced the remarkable journey of Computational Social Science: from its origins on the fringes to its current status as a mainstream field in universities worldwide.